Growing the Body of Christ

This morning I am reflecting on some verses from Paul's letter to the Church in Ephesus.  While I am starting with some very familiar verses, I am looking more at the following verses as those seem to not be quoted or spoken of as often, but are the results we should actually be focused upon.  Here are the verses - Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV:

[11] "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, [12] to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up [13] until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

[14] "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. [15] Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

Paul, in the last two sentences, continues to flesh out (pardon the pun) the vision he was given of the Body of Christ, with each of us as a part.  It seems to me that these verses are more focused on the Church level of connectedness, and how the different churches must be connected and in relationship to be effective parts of the Body of Christ.  I am not talking about organizational hierarchy, but rather relationships based on love.  Paul, very specifically identifies love as the binding and maturing agent, as each part does its work.  

A brief observation of our present expression of the Body of Christ, is that more often than not, we are not bound together relationally.  We might have a church hierarchy and organizational structure, even being a part of a particular denomination or stream of a denomination, but when I look across our city, I wonder how many churches are actually in relationship with the other churches?  We seem to be focused on our own congregation, our on peculiar expression, or micro-cosmic presentation of the Body of Christ.  While it is good to focus on our members, form a pastoral perspective, that is just one of the five core ministry areas as Paul describes them in verse 11.  

The whole purpose of these five-fold ministries is to build up the church, to equip the people for works of service within the Body of Christ, and in the greater mission fields of the world.  We are supposed to see members built up, encouraged, matured and sent out, achieving the whole measure of the Body of Christ!  Wow, that is a big encouragement, and it is the way the church is supposed to function. 

The question in my mind is why are we so far from this model of Church in most congregations? 

What caused, or is causing this mistrust of one another that often proliferates in the Body of Christ?  

What can we do about this in our own lives, in our own expressions of the Body of Christ?

First, I would say the obvious is that we need to be open to the Five-Fold Ministries once again.  We have focused so much on the last two in the list, pastor and teachers, that we have lost a true sense of what God intends for His Body through the ministries of the Apostles, Prophets and Evangelists.  We have seen some weird stuff related to the first two, and rather than work through those issues, we have reduced our reliance on those ministries, and even reduced our openness to  those ministries.  Paul addresses the dangers of not walking in the fullness of those ministries in verse 14, for the fullness of operation of these ministries battles the immaturity, and wishy-washy ways.  We need to speak the truth in love, and work to establish and preserve the unity!  We need to establish ligaments of relationship with one each other. 

Paul began the chapter with these encouragement - Ephesians 4:1-3 NIV: "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. [2] Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. [3] Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

Amen Lord, help us to grow in "attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."!

Amen and Amen!